The New Normal - One Shots
by that1crazaychik
Summary: A collection of short drabbles about our favourite gay dads! {BryanxDavid}
1. Sleepless Nights

**A Sleepless Night**

Bryan anxiously paced in front of the crib as cries wailed from inside it. With his phone pressed to his ear, he ran his free hand through his hair, messing it up.

"Come on David... Pick up, pick up, pick up!" he chanted, panic creeping into his voice. Finally a voice came through the other end.

"Hello, this is Dr. David Collins—"

"David, thank God!" Bryan began in a rush, "There's something wrong with Sawyer. He won't stop crying, maybe he's got a fever—"

"I'm sorry I cannot come to the phone right now, but please leave your name and number after the—"

"No! No, no, no, no! David! I need you. I really need you right now. Just, call me back... Now!"

Bryan hung up the phone and tossed it on the night table, next to Sawyer's crib. The baby's cries still filled the air, and each one struck Bryan with even more fear.

"Oh God, okay... Okay... Think, Bryan, think." Bryan closed his eyes, and massaged his temples.

"You need to do something... Anything. Just do something you stup—"

Just then Bryan's phone began to ring. He jumped back in fright.

"AAHHH!" Bryan yelped. "Oh god, help me..."

He scrambled for the phone and was relieved to see the call was from David. He quickly picked up.

"David!"

"Bry? What's up? Is something wrong?"

"Yes, everything is wrong! Sawyer won't stop crying, and I don't know what to do. I think he's dying!" At this point Bryan was basically hyperventilating.

"Whoah, whoah, whoah... " David tried to keep his voice steady. "Bryan, you need to calm down, Sweetie! Deep breaths, okay? _Deep_ breaths."

"Okay... Okay..." Bryan sucked in a deep breath... but held it, panic settling in again.

"Bryan, honey, are you breathing? I can't hear you breathing. Are you okay?" David's voice prompted from the phone. Bryan let all the air out of his lungs along with his answer.

"Yeahhhhhh I'm fhhhhiiiinneee" he said, breathily. Bryan gasped for air, as David continued.

"Okay, then listen..." David tried to use his best calm doctor voice, talking to Bryan as if he were a patient. "Remember how we talked about teething? This is totally normal. In fact, it's just like last night. Do you remember how we dealt with it last night?"

"Yes," Bryan shot back "but this is different Davey. He sounds like he's trying to beat Mariah Carey in a pitch battle. It's terrifying!"

"Bry... Just try to calm him down, okay? He's going to be just fine." David assured him.

"I don't know how David, I can't do it without you!" Bryan's voice caught, as if he was almost on the verge of tears. This made David's heart sink.

"Yes you can, Sweetie, yes you can!" David encouraged, "Just rock him, hum to him, read him an article from Ladies Home Journal, just... do anything to calm him down. Okay? He'll be sleeping in no time. I promise!"

The only sound from the other side of the phone was baby Sawyer's cries.

"Bryan?"

"Yeah... Yeah, okay!"

"I love you, Bry. I'll be home before you know it!" David said soothingly.

"Just so you know, you are not allowed work nights ever again!" Bryan responded, before hanging up. He placed the phone on the bedside table again, then turned his attention back to the screaming baby. He scooped Sawyer up in his arms, shushing and hushing him as he pulled his little body into his chest.

"Shh... It's okay. Daddy Bryan is here. Shhh..." He hushed as he rocked the baby back and forth.

"I'm sorry I can't ease your pain little man, but I'll be right here until you fall asleep, okay?"

He was met with more cries from Sawyer and Bryan couldn't help but cringe every time. As if each cry stabbed him in the heart.

"Shh... I know, honey, I know... Just go to sleep."

After what seemed like hours of rocking, and shushing and humming, Sawyer's screams finally subsided. Bryan sat in the rocking chair, exhausted and clutching the tiny human lovingly to his chest. He rocked him back, and forth, back and forth in soothing monotony.

"Okay, little man... That wasn't so bad." He murmured sleepily. "Don't you worry. Daddy Bryan is going to be right here until you fall asleep... Don't... You..."

Bryan could feel his eyelids drooping. He struggled to keep his heavy eyes open but was determined to do so until he saw his baby close his eyes first. Finally, Sawyer's breaths evened out, his eyes closed for the night and together Father and son drifted into a much needed sleep.

•••

When David got home it was well past mid-night, and the whole house was peaceful and quiet. He crept upstairs carefully and opened their bedroom door as quietly as he could. He soon discovered however, his efforts were not needed. The lights were still turned on, and the bed was cold and empty. David set his bag down, slightly confused. He was so tired, and his brain was foggy with fatigue.

"Bry?" He called to the house. He then remembered the panicked phone call and his brain snapped back to attention. He quickly made his way to the nursery and was slightly concerned to see that the light was still on, flooding into the dark hallway. David checked his watch: 3:47 am. He had received the call around 11:40. David quickened his pace.

"Bry?" David burst into the nursery, but stopped dead in his tracks. A smile spread across his face as he took in the scene before him.

Bryan was fast asleep and practically laying in the rocking chair, his head resting peacefully on his shoulder. Baby Sawyer slept equally as peaceful in Bryan's arms, who despite being sound asleep had not relinquished his loving grasp on the child. David couldn't help his smile from turning into a chuckle. He watched the two most important men in his life as they slept soundly. It was in that moment David realized just how lucky a man he was to have such a beautiful family.

After a few minutes of listening to the melodic sound of Sawyer and Bryan's even breaths, David walked slowly towards the sleeping couple. He gently took Sawyer from Bryan's arms, trying not to wake Sawyer or Bryan. Neither of them even stirred. David kissed their child on the forehead, then set him down to sleep in his crib.

"Good night, Sawyer. And sweet dreams, my little man."

David turned back around to see Bryan's limp body still strewn across the rocking chair. He wanted so desperately not to wake him, but a conflict soon arose.

"Now how am I supposed to get you to bed?" David asked aloud, obviously not expecting an answer. He figured that he should be strong enough to carry Bryan, he'd done it before... Hadn't he?

He softly hooked his arms around Bryan, one under his armpit and limp arm, and one in the crook of his knees. He then lifted his husband slowly out of the chair, his head falling into place on David's chest. David walked him carefully out the door, closing the light on the way out (which took more effort then you'd think).

Finally, David made it back to their room. He set Bryan on his side of the bed, making sure his head was comfortably on the pillow. He straightened out his legs, and then pulled the covers over his body. He rubbed his hand through Bryan's hair, kissed him on the forehead, then settled in on his own side of the bed. He closed the light and when snuggling into the covers, he couldn't help but smile. He had the best husband and the best son... What else could a man ask for?


	2. Bullies and Boy Clothes

**Bullies and Boy Clothes**

"Okay Sweetie, you've got everything you need?" Bryan asked, handing Sawyer his Captain America lunch bag.

"Yeah Daddy! I'm all set." He smiled.

"Perfect." Bryan smiled back. He knelt down and grabbed his son's face, kissing the top of his head. Sawyer loved it when he did that. "Have a great day, Sweetie! Daddy David will pick you up after school okay?"

"Okay!" Sawyer beamed. "I love you!"

"I love you too, little man."

Sawyer took of running towards the playground, leaving Bryan to sit and watch him run. A smile slowly crept onto his face. Man, did he love that kid... Seven years and his love for him had yet to diminish!

•••

Sawyer ran onto the playground, eagerly searching for his friends. When he spotted them at the swing set he set off immediately for them, but was stopped dead in his tracks. A group of older boys stepped out in front of him. Arms crossed, frowns on. Sawyer stared up at them, slightly confused.

"Can I help you?" He asked politely.

"Was that your dad?" One of the boys asked, pointing his chin in Bryan's direction. Sawyer turned around. His father was conversing with the other parents, as usual. He turned back to the boys.

"That's one of them, yeah!" He answered.

"One of them?" The boy questioned, almost laughing. The other boys struggled to keep their chuckles in.

"Yeah! I have two!" Sawyer said proudly.

"You mean your dad's a fag?" The boy questioned, "Ha! I should've guessed. I mean, look at what he's wearing."

The boy's erupted into a chorus of laughter pointing in Sawyer's dad's direction, which made Sawyer angry. He could feel his fists balling up. How dare these guys talk about his Daddy like that. He had to do something. Sawyer straightened his back, putting his shoulders back.

"I happen to think my Dad has the best style ever." He retorted confidently, which only caused more laughter from the boys.

"Oh god!" One said between chuckles. "I think the fag is rubbing off on him." Even more laughs came from the group, making Sawyer even more angry.

•••

Bryan listened patiently as Lisa and Shelley tried to make polite parental conversation with him, but quite frankly he wasn't interested. Especially when he saw, out on the playground, a group of older boys standing defiantly in front of Sawyer. He watched the conversation unfold, wondering what was being discussed. That's when the subject matter of his son's conversation soon became clear. With a nice shove from one of the older kids, Sawyer slammed right to the ground.

Motherly instincts kicking in, Bryan shoved past Shelley, who was in mid-sentence and raced over to Sawyer.

"Hey!" He shouted at the boys. "Why don't you go pick on someone your own size, hunh?" He said, helping Sawyer back to his feet and brushing the dust off of him.

"I don't know," one of the boys retorted, "why don't you wear boy clothes?"

Bryan was slightly taken aback. He wanted to say something back and stand up for himself, No stand up for his kid, but all he could do was stare in shock at what the little brat had said, until...

"You're just mad cause he dresses much nicer than you!" Sawyer spat back. "I mean, the ninja turtles?" Sawyer motioned to the boy's t-shirt, "They are _sooo_ last century!"

Bryan couldn't believe what he had just heard, and neither could the older boys. The one who sported the ninja turtles shirt looked down and Bryan could swear he blushed. Embarrassment? Bullies felt that nowadays?

"C'mon guys..." Ninja turtles' friend said "let's just go." With a few glares at Sawyer and Bryan the group parted, heading for the jungle gym. Bryan still sat in shock.

"Thanks Dad!" Sawyer snapped him back to reality. "I love you so much." He wrapped his arms around Bryan's neck, who returned the hug after a few seconds delay.

"Um, yeah... No problem sweetie..." Bryan answered.

"Bye!" And with that his son was racing off once again, heading for the swing sets. Bryan turned and began walking back to the group of parents, still wondering what had just happened.


	3. Sick Saturday

**Sick Saturday**

David bustled around in the kitchen. It was Saturday morning in the Collins/Sawyer household and the sun was shining bright through the window. David started the coffee machine and set two mugs out in front, making sure he had grabbed Bryan's favourite one. He plopped two slices of bread into the toaster for him and a blueberry bagel for Bryan. Once the coffee was ready and the toast popped, he set it all out on the counter, ready for when Bryan groggily walked into the kitchen. It had been a long, hard week for the both of them, but mostly for Bryan. He'd been dealing with one wardrobe crisis after another and had worked late nights almost every night the past few weeks. David was excited to finally have a day to relax and spend some much needed time with his boyfriend.

Looking at the time, David assumed Bryan would walk into the kitchen in three, two, one...

Ten minutes had passed and Bryan still hadn't come downstairs. David had finished his breakfast and was sipping his coffee slowly. By now Bryan's coffee would have surpassed the temperature he preferred: cool enough to drink but still hotter than "warm". Whatever that meant!

David checked his watch again. It was almost 11:00, and that was late even for Bryan. David made his way up the stairs, trying not to spill Bryan's coffee. He opened the bedroom door slowly with a creak.

"Bry?" He called into the room. "You up, Sweetie?"

There was no reply from the pile of blankets on the bed. David set the coffee on the bedside table. He looked at the jumble of covers and tried to find where Bryan's head might be. He then cautiously pulled back the blanket revealing Bryan's face, which flinched at the sudden introduction of sunlight.

"Mmnn..." Bryan whined as he tried to bury his face into the pillows, and shield his still closed eyes from the light.

"Bryan, honey, it's time to wake up." David said as he reached to run his hand through Bryan's messy bangs. However, he immediately recoiled when he touched Bryan's forehead. "Bry! You're really hot! And I mean temperature wise..."

David put his palm against his boyfriend's forehead, feeling the heat seep into his hand. Bryan's eyes slowly opened and his sleepy gaze met with David's concerned one.

"I don't feel good." He managed through pouty lips, before his eyes drooped closed again.

"No kidding." David said as he turned and headed for the bathroom. Before he could leave the bed though, Bryan's arm shot out from the mess of covers and grabbed David's wrist.

"Don't go." Bryan whined sleepily.

"I'll be right back," David said, easily unlatching Bryan's weak grasp from his wrist and setting his arm back on the bed. "I'm just going to get a nice, cool cloth, alright?"

"Hmm..." Bryan hummed, "Fine."

David went to the bathroom and grabbed a soft face cloth and rinsed it under the ice cold tap. He wrung it out as best he could then returned to the Bryan's bedside.

"Here," he said, sitting on the bed beside Bryan. "This'll help."

He pressed the cold cloth to Bryan's forehead. Bryan flinched as the icy cloth touched his burning skin and moved to take the cloth off.

"Ah ah ah..." David cooed, grabbing his hand. "We need to regulate your body temp."

"I hate when you talk all... doctory," Bryan pouted, "but I also love it."

David smiled. "I'll go get some medicine. You keep this cloth right here, understood?"

Bryan nodded as best he could.

"Is there anything else you need?" David asked. Bryan paused to think.

"Cuddles?"

David smiled. He leant down and kissed his boyfriend's head.

"Your wish is my command." He said, "I'll be right back!"

Before he could get to the doorway he was stopped.

"I love you... my doctor." Bryan called.

"I love you, too." David called back.

So David's Saturday didn't turn out quite like he planned... Oh well, at least he got to spend the day with Bryan. That was really all he had wanted.


	4. The Collins Family Crisis

**The Collins Family Crisis (Part 1)**

Music from _Les Miserables_ blared through David's apartment. It was a Friday night and David agreed to have a musical movie night with Bryan, after much convincing. Despite his indifference towards the genre, David was quite content with the outcome of his evening, mostly because it resulted with Bryan curled up in his lap, head on David's chest, humming along to the show tunes. Bryan was so enamoured by the movie he barely noticed when David began playing with his hair. David loved it when Bryan let him touch his hair (which wasn't very often).

"I just don't get it," David said suddenly, "why do they have to sing everything?"

"Shhh!" Bryan shushed him, "It's a musical, David. M-U-S-I-C-al. It's in the title, get over it!"

They sat in silence, listening to Hugh Jackman's vibrato, when suddenly Bryan's phone began to ring.

"Uh oh. Pause it." Bryan demanded, reaching for his phone.

"Thank God." David said, grabbing the remote. He quickly changed his remark when he received a glare from Bryan. "I mean, oh darn."

He smiled cheesily which did get a chuckle from Bryan. Finally, Bryan turned his attention to his ringing phone and the smile melted from his face.

"What's wrong, Sweetie?" David asked, concerned. Bryan stared at his phone for a second and then, as if snapping out of a daze he looked at David.

"It... It's my mother..." He said, his voice almost breaking.

"Oh..." David replied, not sure what to say. "Are you going to... pick up?"

"I don't know." Bryan said staring back at the phone. Then, making a split second decision, he answered the call and put the phone up to his ear.

"Mom? Hi." Bryan said, getting up from the couch. He walked into the kitchen, leaving David alone on the couch. David tried not to eavesdrop on the conversation so instead he pet his dog, Smelly, talking to him softly.

"Oh my god..." He heard Bryan say. Suddenly, a crash came from the kitchen. David got up and rushed to the kitchen. Bryan's phone was on the ground, the screen smashed indicating he had just dropped it. A voice could be heard coming from the other end of the line, calling Bryan's name. David stared in shock at the phone and then up at his boyfriend, which shocked him even more.

Bryan was holding onto the counter with a very strong grip, his arms shaking, one hand covering his mouth and tears brimming in his eyes. David was struck with a bolt of panic.

"Bryan, honey what's wrong? What happened?" David asked softly. Bryan just shook his head, tears now spilling down his cheeks.

David picked the phone up of the ground, but before he could do anything Bryan cried out.

"Hang up! Just hang it up!"

David stood, frozen in shock. He'd never seen Bryan like this before.

"Okay, okay!" He said calmly and hung up the phone. Almost immediately Bryan began to sob. David set the phone on the counter and rushed to his boyfriend, wrapping him up in a hug and pulling his head into the comfort of his shoulder. Bryan's body shook with sobs. David rubbed his boyfriend's back soothingly, trying to calm him down. Meanwhile, fear was creeping into his own stomach. After a few minutes David finally decided to speak.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked quietly. Bryan just shook his head, which was still hidden in David's shirt.

"Should we go back to the couch?" David tried. After a few seconds hesitation, Bryan nodded. Together they walked back to the couch and snuggled up again, Bryan still shaking. They finished the movie, though neither on of them paid any attention to it.

Suddenly, near the very end of the movie Bryan spoke.

"My Dad's dead..." He said, voice cracking. David sat in shock.

"Oh my God, Bry... I... I'm so sorry..." He didn't know what else to say, so he just hugged his boyfriend even tighter as a new wave of sobs struck his body. They stayed like that for hours. And that's how Bryan fell asleep: wrapped in David's embrace.

•••

Bryan stared at himself in the mirror. He never liked black, it didn't suit him at all. The only time he ever wore this much black was for funerals and well... Bryan clawed at his tie, suddenly feeling claustrophobic. Tears began to well in his eyes, but before he could break down again a knock came on the bathroom door.

"Bry? Are you almost ready?" David called.

Bryan cleared his throat.

"Yeah," he called, trying not to let his voice break. "just a second!"

Suddenly the bathroom door opened. Bryan hastily wiped the tears off his cheeks.

"David! I said I'd be right out!" He said, slightly defensive.

"I know," David replied "I just wanted to see if I could help... Or something."

"I am a grown man David. I know how to tie a tie... in six different ways!" Bryan joked half-heartedly.

"Clearly you've forgotten." David said with a smirk and reached up to fix Bryan's tie.

"What?" Bryan asked looking down.

"It's fine," David said "let me..."

They stood in silence as David fixed his tie.

"You never did look good in black." David said quietly. Bryan smiled.

"I thought the same thing." He said. David looked up and smiled. He gathered his beautiful boyfriend in a hug and Bryan let himself break down in his lovers arms once more.


	5. The Story of Steven Williams

"Mom, I'm home!" Bryan called to the kitchen as the screen door crashed closed behind him. He had just returned from rehearsal and had his nose in his script. He plopped his book bag on a kitchen chair sank into the chair next to it, when he looked up he was surprised to see his younger sister, Marva, staring back at him, not his Mother.

"What?" He asked her, noticing her piercing gaze. "Why're you looking at me like that?"

Marva looked down, suddenly interested in her glass of lemonade.

"Mom and Dad are having a... discussion in the living room..." She said.

"So?" Bryan retorted, looking back at his script.

"It's about you." She replied. Bryan looked up from his script.

"Bryan is that you?" His mother called from the living room.

"Nice knowing ya..." his sister whispered as she darted upstairs. Two seconds later their mother appeared in the door.

"Bryan, honey..." She started awkwardly, "Your father and I would like to speak with you... now."

Alarms blared in Bryan's head. He tried to remember anything he had done wrong. Did he forget to do any of his chores? Break anything? Or leave the TV on "Extreme Makeover, Home Edition?"

Obediently, he followed his mother into the living room where his father sat in his usual chair.

"Son..." his father began sternly. Bryan's heart was racing. "We got a phone call today... from Steven Williams' parents..."

 _Oh fuck..._

Bryan noticed the letter in his father's hand and his heart dropped. He knew exactly what it was; he was the one who had written it after all. The events of the last few weeks flooded back to him and he immediately began to regret every single moment.

* * *

Steven Williams was the first boy Bryan had ever kissed. He had the biggest crush on him ever since he moved to town but never really knew what to do about it. After all, Bryan had yet to come out to anybody about these feelings and had no idea whether Steven would feel the same way about him, or members of the same sex for that matter. Bryan suffered in silence, resorting to doodling in his notebooks like any other love-struck teen. Then Valentine's Day came around and he could no longer contain himself. He decided he would write Steven a letter, expressing how he felt but signing it anonymously. With his heart racing and hands shaking he put the note in Steven's locker and quickly vacated the hallway. The only problem was that Steven had been Bryan's lab partner that semester and recognized his handwriting. He met with Bryan secretly in the boy's bathroom and told him he wanted to feel the same way, but he was just so confused. Bryan left the school heartbroken that day.

The next week Bryan found a note in his locker telling him to meet behind the bleachers after school. He followed the instructions and was relieved to find Steven waiting for him. They shared their first kiss, and it was magical.

In order to keep a low profile at school, they never talked to each other outside of class, but instead exchanged notes and letters. They met behind the bleachers almost every day, and everything was going smoothly. That was until one afternoon when Steven's older brother came looking for him because his football practice had been cancelled and he was ready to take Steven home.

He found them under the bleachers.

Steven said he'd take care of it. That he'd make his brother promise to stay quiet.

Bryan hadn't spoken to or about Steven since until his father brought him up that afternoon. He'd almost forgotten about the letters, until one was shoved in front of him, demanding an explanation.

He'd never been more scared in his life.

* * *

Bryan laid on his bed, too stunned to move. He could hear his parents shouting downstairs. He'd escaped to his room at least an hour ago but the shouting had just continued.

A small tapping on his door made him jump.

"What do you want?" He asked warily, hastily wiping tears from his eyes. The door creaked open and one of his older brothers, Ken, poked his head in.

"Can we come in?" He asked.

Bryan just nodded.

Ken opened the door and he and Marva strode into the room. Marva sat on the bed next to Bryan, while Ken leaned on the closed door. They sat in silence, listening to the muffled shouts of their parents downstairs. Then Ken spoke.

"Is all that stuff true?" he asked, looking at Bryan. He just nodded solemnly.

"We don't think you should stay here tonight." Marva pipped up. "Ken offered to drive us to Emily's place… at least for the night."

Bryan sat completely frozen, tears brimming in his eyes.

"Is that all right with you, Bryanne?" Ken asked. Bryan looked up at him and thought for a moment.

"Just let me pack my stuff…"


End file.
